The International Labour Organization (ILO) and its International Training Centre (ITCILO) have launched South4Care, a new global platform to strengthen South-South and Triangular Cooperation (SSTC) for advancing decent work in the care economy. The initiative brings together governments, employers' and workers' organizations, and international partners to turn care into a driver of decent work and social justice.
The high-level launch, hosted in Doha, brought together government officials, employers' and workers' representatives, UN agencies, and development partners from around the world. Participants highlighted the urgency of addressing global care needs, while showcasing innovative policies and practices from the Global South.
Ruba Jaradat, ILO Regional Director for Arab States, said: "We thank the Government of Qatar for hosting this important event. We are very happy to work with our constituents in the Arab States region and beyond to enhance knowledge sharing and mutual learning to promote decent work and the care economy through the first edition of the South4Care Learning Hub."
South4Care responds directly to the ILO Resolution concerning decent work and the Care Economy adopted at the International Labour Conference in 2024, and has two main components:
- South4Care Platform - an online space hosted on the ILO Global Care Policy Portal, featuring illustrative practices on how countries are advancing their commitments, policy tools and resources for peer learning.
- South4Care Learning Hub - a biennial capacity-building programme, delivered with ITCILO, that will rotate across ILO regions and equip policymakers and social partners to design, finance, and implement care policies.
South4Care is more than a platform, it is a catalyst for collaboration enabling countries of the Global South to share good practices, and translate care-related commitments into tangible action.
Sukti Dasgupta, Director of the Conditions of Work and Equality Department
Francesco d'Ovidio, Director of the ILO office for the State of Qatar said: "The ILO is grateful to the Government of Qatar for hosting the launching of the South4Care Platform and Learning Hub in Doha today. Care economy, If duly regulated and formalized, is a driver of job creation as one of the fastest-growing sectors; it not only helps reduce the gender gap by easing the disproportionate burden of unpaid care on women, but also enables them to access decent work opportunities, thereby boosting productivity and strengthening long-term economic resilience".
The launch also marked the first session of the in-person section of the South4Care Learning Hub, where 88 participants from 30 countries engaged in regional dialogues on policy priorities and future collaboration. Partner roundtables and tripartite panels will further reinforce the role of South4Care as a catalyst for knowledge exchange and collective action, underlining its contribution to the Global Coalition for Social Justice.
